It was decided then. Aragorn would lead the elven forces positioned in the wall, while Theoden and his man would be above the main gate of the keep. It was obvious that the stronger attack would fall on the cross way. They knew that there would probably be hand to hand combat, and children and old man were no match for the Uruk-Hai. The Galadhrim soldiers were probably the best warriors in the world on this side of the sea after the few Noldor that still dwelt in Imladris. Skilled with both sword and bow, they would give Saruman's army a ferocious resistance, and if defeated, they would make them pay such a price, that their "victory" would be eventually their doom.

The Elves waited patiently, showing no sign of fear as they saw the approaching army. Their presence had lifted the spirits of the man of Rohan. At least now they had a chance of survival.

Of the 200 Galadhrim, fifty stood over the wall in the first line, while the rest was kept as reserves in the ground below. At the center of the first line of archers stood the prince of Mirkwood, Gimli the dwarf, Luthien, Findulias and Haldir. The silence was broken when Gimli complained to Legolas ""Argh. You could have picked a better spot" despite the seriousness of the situation, Legolas and Luthien grinned and a small laughter escaped Findulias mouth.

At that moment Aragorn approached them and Gimli told him "Well lad, the luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night." Legolas added "Your friends are with you, Aragorn" at which Gimli said "Let's hope they last the night". A thunder illuminated the sky, and Legolas eyes widened when he saw the enormity of Saruman's army.

Rain started to fall as Aragorn began to address his troops "A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas!" (Show them no mercy! For you shall receive none!)

They can see as the troops of Saruman keep walking toward them, carrying torches and long spears. Then, at a sign of their general, the Uruk-hai stoped. Aragorn walks forward and looks down at the huge army.

Gimli asked "What's happening out there?" Legolas answered "Shall I describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?" Gimli just stared at him and laughed

For a moment both armies stared at their enemies in silence. "This is the calm before the storm" Findulias said to Aragorn. Aragorn said "You seem a little impatient" Findulias smiled and answered "I'm a Noldor after all, the same fire that was inside Feanor runs in my blood" then she caressed her sword and continued "Ringil is also getting impatient. It's been to long since it tasted Morgoth's blood.

Silence was broken, when the Uruk general gave a signal, and all the Uruks begin to pound their spears and roar. The men in the fortress readied their weapons and Aragorn drew out his sword. After a few moments, an old man accidentally shooted an arrow, hitting an Uruk. Everything goes silent, as the Uruk falls down, dead. Aragorn commanded "Dartho!" (Hold!), then the Uruks began to roar in anger. The Uruk general roared an order and they charged

Théoden says in a calm voice "So it begins."

As the army below runs forward, the elves prepare to shoot their arrows at Aragorn's command. Legolas whispered "Faeg i-varv dîn na lanc a nu ranc." (Their armor is weak at the neck and under the arms.) Then Aragorn gives the order "Leithio i philinn!" (Fire!) The bows are released and the Uruks are showered with arrows with deadly accuracy, Gimli asks "Anybody hit anything?" At that moment, Theoden gives the order to fire and at Gamling's command, the rohirrim began their attack

Many Uruks fell dead, but they kept charging the wall, and bringing Ladders

Aragorn screamed "Pendraid!" (Ladders!) And at his command the Elves draw out their swords

The battle continued with great ferocity as the Galadhrim over the wall were now engaged in hand to hand combat with the berzekers that were over the ladders and the Uruks that kept coming from below

Time went on, and despite their numerical inferiority, the defenses were holding, both findulias and Luthien were amused at the "competition" Legolas and Gimli were having, as they heard the dwarf counting each time he killed an Uruk-Hai "Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two ."

Théoden smiled with confidence as he saw the course of the battle "Is this it? Is this all you can conjure, Saruman?"

It all changed when two Uruks carried Saruman's explosives to the drain, and then a berserker came running, carrying a bright torch towards the hole.

Aragorn noticed it and screamed to Legolas "Togo hon dad, Legolas! Dago hon!" (Legolas, stop him! Kill him!)

Legolas shot the berserker two times but the arrows didn't kill him, letting the warrior light the explosives.

A big explosion was heard all over the battlefield, shocking everyone and destroying a portion of the wall. After the initial shock, the battle continued. "ARAGORN" Gimli screamed when he saw him laying unconscious in the ground below the wall, and a group of Uruk-Hai approaching him.

Just as Aragorn regained his consciousness, he saw Gimli jumping down from the wall, and landing above the Uruks, stoping them for a moment, but then being hit and falling in the water. Fearing for his friend, Aragorn screamed to the Elven reserves: "Hado i philinn!" (Hurl the arrows!) And a rain of arrows fell on the advancing Uruk-Hai. Then the elves drew out their swords and charged, Aragorn leading them.

As the two armies clashed, Gimli was still under the water, but a strong hand grabbed him and pulled him out.

Now there was chaos everywhere. The elves fought bravely but now it was just a matter of time before they would be overrun. Theoden noticed this and screamed to Aragorn

"Aragorn, pull back to the keep! Get your man out of there"

Aragorn obeyed and said to his troops "Am Marad!" (To the Keep!) Then he looked to the wall and saw Haldir fighting "Nan barad! Haldir! Nan barad!" (Pull back! Haldir! Pull back!)

Haldir noded at him and called for the others

Below the wall, Gimli is dragged away by both Legolas and Luthien despite the dwarf's protest "What are you doing? Stop it!"

Haldir calls for his men, but he does not see an Uruk behind him and is struck. He stumbles in pain but is able to kill the attacking Uruk, then he looks around and prepares to leave, not noticing another Uruk at his back preparing to deliver a mortal blow. Aragorn screams Haldir's name as he fights his way up the stairs. In the last moment, as Aragorn reached the top of the stairs, fearing the worst, he saw the lifeless body of the Uruk falling to the ground. He then saw Findulias helping the wonded haldir up, but for a moment he didn't recognice her.

Sure he knew that her kin, the Noldor, were as gentle as the other elves, but he also heard stories that when angered, they were a terrible force of nature to be feared. In her bright armour, holding high her sword Ringil that shone like ice, her eyes shining with unatural brightness and such anger, that for a moment Aragorn thought he was having a vision of the old days when Fingolfin fought Morgoth at the very doors of angband. "Fallow me" she told both Aragorn and Haldir as she started to make hew way down the stairs, killing any unfortunate Uruk that crossed her path. They fallowed close behind her, first to the ground below, then towards the keep.

Meanwhile, in the main gate another fight was taking place. The King himself was now involved in hand to hand combat, trying to prevent the gate from breaking. Gamling screamed "We can't hold much longer" At that moment Findulias appeared, fallowed by Aragorn, Haldir and Gimli, the same fire that fueled her anger was not yet consumed and for a moment the uruks at the gate stopped their attack, afraid of the beautifull yet terrible vision that was the queen of the Noldor. Aragorn asked the king "How long do you need?" Théoden stared at Findulias for a moment with awe and fear but then answered "As long as you can give me!"

Aragorn called "Gimli!". They sneaked around to the other side of the gate. Aragorn took a peek at the many Uruks that had renewed their attack on the gate and Gimli said "Come on. We can take 'em!" Aragorn replied "It's a long way." Gimli glanced over Aragorn and when he saw the distance he said in a low whisper "Toss me."

Aragorn asked amused "What?" Gimli answered with a little anger "I cannot jump the distance so you have to toss me." Aragorn noded and was about to throw Gimli, but the dwarf stoped him and pleaded "Eh… Don't tell the elf."

Aragorn answered "Not a word." Then he threw Gimli and jumped after him. Soon they were both engaged in a fight against the Uruks

Théoden commanded "Shore up the door!"

The men try to seal the gates, as Aragorn and Gimli continue fighting on the other side.

Théoden and Findulias screamed "Gimli! Aragorn! Get out of there!"

Luthien, who was standing up on the wall, called "Aragorn!" then she threw down a rope. Aragorn, holding Gimli with him, jumps on to it, and Luthien, with the help of Legolas, pulls them both up.

Théoden seeing that they Uruks keep coming says to Gamling "Pull everybody back. Pull them back!"

Gamling: "Fall back! Fall back!"

At that moment the gate breaks open, an Theoden screams "They have broken through. The castle is breached! Retreat!"

Gamling: "Fall back! Retreat! Retreat!"

The surviving forces retreat to the inner part of the keep. They try to shut down the last door at the Attacking Uruks. They know that if they get through, nothing will stand between the beasts and the woman and children in the caves. Luthien stares with sadness at a boy and asks him "What is your name child?" the child looks at her and says "Haleth son of hama, my lady" she sees despair and fear in the boy's eyes and says "Whatever happens, stay behind me. I will protect you"

Théoden stared with resignation at the door and said "The fortress is taken. It is over."

Aragorn looks at him and says "You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!"

At that moment, a loud bang at the door is heard. The women and children in the caves cower in fear.

Aragorn then turns to Gamling and asks "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" ButThe king and his men remain silent.

It was Findulias who asked now "Is there no other way?"

Gamling answered to her "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many."

Aragorn grabed Gamling by his shoulder and ordered "Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!" But then both of them stared at Théoden as he said with despair "So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?"

Aragorn stared at theoden for a moment and said "Ride out with me." Théoden turned to face Aragorn.

Aragorn: "Ride out and meet them." At which Théoden asked "For death and glory?" But Aragorn replied "For Rohan. For your people."

Just then Luthien stared at a window and said "The sun is rising."

Aragorn looked up to the window as the sun rises, hope in his eyes as he remembered Gandalf's words "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East." His thought were interrupted by theoden, which now seemed possesed by an inner fire "Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep, one last time."

Gimli said "Yes!" and he began to climb a stair leading to the great horn of the deep

Théoden approached aragorn and said "Let this be the hour when we draw swords together."

The deep stables were right next to the room, and they took out all the horses avaluable.

When they mounted the horses, theoden said to his remaining troops and allies

"Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath. Now for ruin. And the red dawn!"

At that moment Gimli blew in to the horn and the doors give in

Théoden screams: "Forð Eorlingas!"

The King rides out with Aragorn, Legolas, Findulias, Luthien, Haldir and the king's royal guard. They fight as Gimli keeps blowing the horn

The small company fights down the causeway into the Uruk army. They are surrounded and in the last moment, when all seems lost, Aragorn stops and looks up. He sees Gandalf on the back of Shadowfax.

He whispers "Gandalf." Then all his comrades turn to look up, even the uruk-hai stopped and stared

Above the hill Gandalf adresses a not yet seen companion "Théoden king stands alone." At that moment Èomer rides up to Gandalf's side and says to himself "Not alone." Then he draws his sword. And says in an autorative voice "Rohirrim!" and a great army appears right beside him at the top of the hill

Théoden exclaims with a smile "Èomer!"

The voice of Eomer is heard all over the battlefield as he screams "To the king!", then he and Gandalf lead a great charge. The Uruks prepare for the coming Rohirrim and point their spears at them, but as the sun rises, and they are blinded with the light. "Olorin, Olorin" Findulias exclaims with emotion "This is pure magic of the west".

Soon the surviving Uruks run away from the horse masters. They begin to chase them, but stop as they see a strange forest ahead of them "Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" Eomer commands, then he turn to see the strange forest with fear and wonder in his eyes

Even the elves are impressed as they see The Uruks disapearing into the forest as it becomes alive as It groans and sways. Horrible sounds emerge from it. Findulias said to Aragorn "That power…it's old, very old. It comes from the time before the Elves first appeared in cuivienen, when the Valar still lived here on this side of the sea"

Eomer is looking at the forest, fear still in his eyes, when he feels a soft hand in his shoulder. He turns his gaze and finds Luthien smiling at him "What took you so long" she says jokingly at him. Eomer just blushes, but then he notices the armour she is wearing and asks with admiration "Where did you find armor like that?" Luthien laughed and said "It's a long story, come we all must rest and talk".

As they make their way back towards the keep, Legolas went looking for Gimli, fallowed by Findulias, Luthien and Haldir. He found him siting on the body of an Uruk, smoking his pipe. To the other elves amusement, Legolas says to the dwarf as he touched his bow with pride "Final count: fourty-two."

Gimli stared at him with a fake impressed voice "Fourty-two! That's not bad for a pointy-eared elvish princeling." Then he grins and continues "I myself am sitting pretty on fourty-three."

Legolas frowns then He draws his bow and shoots Gimli's Uruk

Legolas: "Fourty-three." Gimli said "He was already dead." But Legolas replied "He was twitching." But gimli grabbed his axe and said "He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" the strange conversation was interrupted by Luthien and Findulias laughter, even Haldir laughed a little. "In all the long years of my life" Luthien said "I have never meet a pair like you both" both Gimli and Legolas stared at each other and then at her. Legolas simply said "You haven't seen nothing yet, wait until you meet Pippin and Merry" Findulias asked "Who?" Haldir exclaimed "Dear Eru"